Class Sketches Baltimore City Council Session

Baltimore Sun Highlights Class Trip on Page 3

Posted 02.18.10 by MICA communications

They go in and they see how democracy works.

BALTIMORE--Baltimore Sun page 3 columnist Laura Vozzella wrote about a MICA class field trip in the Feb. 18 paper. The columnist, who reports on the Baltimore City Council, was intrigued by the fact MICA students were at a committee work session not only learning about democracy, but how to capture that in an image. Freshman Brandon Wu's drawing was featured with the story (see image at left). The full story is below and can be found here.

The art of democracyby Laura Vozzella

A City Council committee held a work session the other day to discuss banning or imposing a fee on those pesky plastic bags that litter the city. The Sun's Julie Scharper was shocked to find a packed house.

Then she noticed that most of the crowd was sketching. Warren Linn, a professor at Maryland Institute College of Art, had taken 18 students from his visual journalism class to sketch democracy in action.

"They go in and they see how democracy works and some of them come out, because they're 18 or 19, and they're appalled at how much conversation there can be about paper and plastic bags," said Linn, who's also taken students to sketch on the subway, in an empty Camden Yards and inside the Baltimore Boxing Club.

Whatever their frustrations at City Hall, the students did not take it out on their subjects.

"A very noble Bill Henry took form in the sketchbook next to me," Scharper reported. "He looks very statesmanlike, reminiscent of Washington crossing the Delaware."

Founded in 1826, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) is the oldest continuously degree-granting college of art and design in the nation. The College enrolls nearly 3,500 B.F.A., M.F.A., M.A., M.A./M.B.A., M.A.T., M.P.S. and continuing studies students from 49 states and 65 countries in fine arts, design, electronic media, art education, liberal arts, and professional studies degree and non-credit programs. With art and design programs ranked in the top 10 by U.S. News & World Report, MICA is pioneering interdisciplinary approaches to innovation, research, and community and social engagement. Alumni and programming reach around the globe, even as MICA remains a cultural cornerstone in the Baltimore/Washington region, hosting hundreds of exhibitions and events annually by students, faculty and other established artists.